“Um... Eddie, I think.”
“Eddie what?”
“Eddie... Green.”
“Eddie Green. That’s it!” Amy’s breath came in short rapid bursts. “Now, where did he live?”
“I don’t remember.” Lance shrugged. “Why do you care?”
“Please, Lance. I need you to remember. This is important. You took me with you last year when you went to fire him.” Hoping to spark his memory, she said, “He and his wife lived down some country road, in a heavily forested area.”
“That’s right, they lived outside Glenwood,” he said with enthusiasm. “I remember having a hard time finding his place. I missed the lane once because of all the trees. Seriously though, what does Sticks have to do with anything?”
“I need to know where to find him,” she said, incredulous over the sudden rush of memories.
“Are you trying to tell me Eddie is actually Kallie’s father? If that’s the case, I would think you’d be able to remember his name.” The accusation in Lance’s voice stung.
Amy gasped. “How dare you even think that?” Just because Lance had no problem sleeping around, didn’t mean she ever did.
She slapped him hard across the face. Spinning on her heel, she marched past Robert and Ben standing like sentinels at the edge of the porch.
“Are you okay?”
Ignoring their simultaneous question, she went straight to the kitchen and got a glass of water. Her hand trembled so badly she set the glass down after a couple swallows. A tornado of emotions tumbled around inside her: anger and excitement, disgust and hope.
She splashed cold water on her heated cheeks. Grabbing a handful of paper towels, she blotted her face dry. Her bodyguards came into the house, and she sensed their presence at the entrance to the kitchen. She kept her back to them.
I can’t face anyone right now.She needed more time to process everything.
She stared out the window at Hope’s barren flowerbeds, her heart feeling equally as empty and confused. A leaf broke free from the maple tree closest to the house and drifted to the ground, claiming its spot among the leaves already littering the lawn. Like a puzzle piece fitting into place.
The memories she’d recalled, and the information about Eddie filled her mind like pieces of a puzzle. She closed her eyes and pictured Eddie’s blue Suburban. He’d told Lance it had broken down. That’s why he’d missed so many gigs.
He’d lied.
Hadn’t he?
Picturing Eddie’s wife, with a baby in her arms, she rearranged the puzzle pieces in her head. Another memory pushed to the surface.
Amy held a two-month-old Kallie in her arms at a corner table at Charlie’s, visiting with the drummer’s wife while the band played. The quiet, plain woman, whose name she couldn’t recall, grew emotional as she expressed her disappointment that she and Eddie hadn’t been able to have children.
Amy replayed the scene when she accompanied Lance to fire Eddie. When she waylaid Eddie’s wife from taking the baby in the house, the woman said they were fostering the baby, hoping to adopt. Amy had been so happy for her.
Holy cow!Amy’s pulse raced again, and her chest heaved.Eddie and his wife kidnapped Ben’s daughter.Could she find Cassey and bring her back to her father? Warmth filled her body as understanding filled her mind.That’s why my car broke down in Providence. I’m supposed to bring Cassey home.
Hope surged through her. She’d need to figure out exactly where Eddie lived. Given time, maybe she could piece it together, but right now Ben and Robert were worried about her.
Pasting on a smile, she turned to face the two handsome men who filled the wide entrance to the kitchen. They probably didn’t dare come any closer for fear of her slapping them too.
“I’m fine.” Her voice sounded steadier than she felt. She rubbed her right palm against her thigh. “Except, my hand stings a little.”
Robert and Ben both breathed a sigh of relief and stepped into the kitchen.
“Heck of a right hook you have there,” Robert said, grinning.
Ben didn’t say anything. He simply studied her face.
She avoided eye contact with him. When he looked at her like that, she felt like he could see right into her soul. She couldn’t have him seeing the hope and uncertainty she felt concerning his daughter. Not yet.
